Philippine security officials arrested Deng Yuanqing, a Chinese software engineer, on January 20 as part of an ongoing counter-espionage operation. Authorities suspect Deng of spying on Filipino military and police camps. Alongside him, two Filipino drivers were also detained. The operation forms part of a broader strategy initiated last month to counteract espionage activities within the country.
Deng Yuanqing is connected to a Chinese university associated with the People's Liberation Army. The arrest has unveiled a larger network allegedly tasked with espionage activities within the Philippines. According to officials, Deng was part of a team sent specifically to "conduct espionage in our territory." He had resided in the Philippines for five years before his apprehension. This group, which includes hardware engineers and a financier, reportedly received 1.5 million pesos (approximately US$26,000) weekly through "shell companies."
Forensic analysis of equipment seized in an earlier operation uncovered images of military and police camps in Manila. Jeremy Lotoc, a spokesperson for the operation, stated:
"They were basically collecting data and they have this remote application which transmits outside the country in real time data that they collected in our country."
The arrest comes amid heightened maritime tensions between the Philippines and China. Recently, Philippine police recovered a suspected Chinese submarine drone in waters off the central Philippines, further exacerbating concerns over China's activities in the region. China claims most of the strategic waterway, a stance dismissed by an international ruling as lacking legal basis.
General Romeo Brawner commented on the potential implications of the data gathered by Deng's group:
"could be used for military targeting purposes."
Despite multiple requests for comment regarding Deng's arrest and the espionage allegations, the Chinese embassy in Manila did not immediately respond.
Leave a Reply